The present invention relates to widow frame structure with improved seal.
In the assembly of aluminum or vinyl frame windows the frames are constructed of individual parts (usually extrusions) that are cut to size, assembled and the parts secured together by screws. Normally the extrusions are hollow and the screws pass from the outside or exposed side of the frame through the hollow and into and through the extrusion wall opposite the outside wall on one part and then into the other frame part that is to be secured to the one part (see FIG. 1). This structure while relatively simple and easy to fabricate leaves a leaky passage formed by the fastener (screw) receiving hole that passes through the outer wall of the one part. This structure has created problems in the industry for many years because of this leakage since when the leaky hole overlies the inside of the wall any fluid (water) leaking there from passes into and may over time damage the wall structure, but no satisfactory commercial solution had been found (prior to the present invention). Certainly drainage holes are provided through the frame for draining water from the inside of the hollow frame and directing it outside the wall structure, nevertheless water still finds its way to and through the fastener hole through the bottom outside wall of the frame.
The use of plugs to seal holes in structures has been known for many years, examples of such plugs are shown in for example U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,864 issued May 19, 1959 to Boicey et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,887,737 issued May 26, 1959 to Prescott; U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,794 issued Dec. 3, 1974 to Hehl; U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,536 issued Sep. 22, 1981 to Morel; U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,105 issued May 13, 1986 to Schmitz et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,734 issued Sep. 13, 1994 to Tremblay; and/or U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,324 issued Apr. 9, 1996 to Danico. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,886,864, 2,887,737 and 5,345,734 are specifically related to windows and provide plugs for sealing glazing for example in double glazed windows.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a window frame structure wherein water drainage into the supporting wall may be substantially eliminated.
Broadly the present invention relates to a window frame structure form from a plurality of discrete elements at least some of which are hollow elements having an outer wall and an inner wall on the opposite side of hollow in said hollow element from said outer wall, the improvement comprising a hole through said outer wall of one of said hollow elements, a fastener, said fastener positioned opposite said hole and passing through said inner wall and into a second of said discrete elements to secure said one of said hollow elements to said second discrete element and a sealing plug secured in sealing relationship to said hole to prevent water from passing from inside said hollow through said hole.
Preferably said plug is welded into said hole.
Preferably said widow frame is mounted in a wall structure and where said plug is position on a bottom of said frame over an inside portion of said wall structure.